Idaho Makes History Today by Recognizing the Identities of Transgender People

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Lambda Legal scored an important victory last month when a federal court ruled that Idaho was constitutionally required to provide accurate birth certificates to transgender people that reflect their gender identity.

Today marks the first day when Idaho will begin actually accepting applications to correct those certificates.

This is a profoundly important moment for many transgender people born in Idaho, who have waited a lifetime to see this day arrive. A birth certificate is more than a piece of paper. It reflects government’s recognition of a person’s gender – just as a marriage certificate reflects government recognition of a person’s relationship, a reality to which many LGBT people can relate.

As one of our clients, Ms. Dani Martin, explains: “This document tells the world who I am, and I cannot wait for it to finally reflect my gender.”

At a time when our opponents are trying to erase our very identities – including President Trump’s cruel attempt to force transgender service members to serve in silence – it is heartening to see this measure of progress.

And it’s not just Idaho: earlier this week, we scored a similar win in Puerto Rico, and we recently filed a challenge to Ohio’s refusal to provide accurate birth certificates to transgender people.

We will leave no member of our community behind, and we will keep working to ensure that each of us is recognized and respected as who we are.

For information about how you can correct your Idaho birth certificate, visit the website for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, which will have a form and instructions, or contact Lambda Legal’s Help Desk.